Standing Room Only as Clippers Edge out Lions in Home Opener

The Briercrest Clippers were visiting Ambrose on Friday night for the Lions home opener to a standing-room only crowd.

Briercrest raced out of the gate to take an early lead. Dominating defensively to open the first quarter, the Clippers were able to hold the Lions to scoring strictly on free-throws to close out the opening frame with a solid 15-3 lead.

Briercrest continued to score to open the second and the game started to look grim for Ambrose going down as much as 21-5 but their confidence wasn't shaken. After a timely timeout by coach Neil, the Lions responded with a 17-5 run to close the gap finishing the half with a score of 26-22.

The Lions carried their momentum into the second half, taking the lead on a pair of free-throws from Ariana Paz. Later in the quarter Lions #4 Ellen Thiessen knocked down another pair from the charity stripe after being fouled on a 3-pointer which Nya Gach followed up with a three of her own to grow the lead to seven. Holding the Clippers scoreless in the last 3:24 of the quarter, Ambrose entered the fourth with a solid lead of 47-36.

The final quarter was jam-packed with action highlighted by a personal 10-0 run from Clippers player of the game Melissa Ellis capped off by a heat check from two steps behind the three-point line and take a 56-53 lead with 3:37 to play. Lions' player of the game Dela Paz hit a jumper Graham knocked down four consecutive free-throws to help the Lions bounce back with a run of their own. But after trading baskets the game hung in the balance with Briercrest guard Dori Sunderland at the line for two with 14 seconds to play. After hitting the first to tie, Amber Fichtner secured the offensive board and scored to go up for good.

Ambrose and Briercrest will meet again to exchange blows at 1pm Saturday, October 22 in what is likely to be another nail-biter.